Sofia Zanfari has been selected to take part in the 2026 F1 Academy rookie test, putting the 19-year-old Moroccan driver on a potential path to the all-female championship’s 2027 grid.
To earn a place next season, Zanfari will now have to go through several stages of selection. The first took place from August 25 to 27 at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, where the candidates underwent tests assessing their physical and cognitive abilities as well as their mental preparation.
The final stage will take place on track. From September 9 to 11, the 18 drivers will meet at the Navarra Circuit in Spain, where they will drive the single-seaters used by F1 Academy teams with the aim of convincing selectors and securing a place for the 2027 season.
A career that started in karting
Before moving into single-seaters, Sofia Zanfari spent several years competing in karting. She began racing in 2014 and gradually moved through the categories, from 60 Mini to the OK and OK-N series.
Her career has also taken her to circuits across Europe as well as to the United Arab Emirates and the United States. The Moroccan driver notably took part in the Champions of the Future Academy Program, a competition for young racers looking to make the transition to single-seater racing.
Second season in F4
Zanfari currently competes in the French FFSA F4 Championship. After her first season in 2025, when she secured several podium finishes in the women’s classification, she is now competing in her second campaign in the category.
The 2026 edition also features an officially FIA-certified women’s classification, providing an additional framework for tracking the drivers’ performances.
“Representing my country at this level is a huge source of pride”
The selection also marks an important step for Moroccan motorsport. Zanfari is the first Moroccan female driver to compete in single-seater racing and now hopes to help pave the way for more young women from the region.
Before taking a decisive step toward Susie Wolff’s F1 Academy, she expressed her enthusiasm about the opportunity.
“Representing my country at this level is a huge source of pride. I hope this selection will encourage other young women in Morocco and across the Arab world to try their hand at motorsport. My F4 podiums have given me confidence. After Loughborough, I am heading to Navarra determined to prove that our region deserves a place on the grid,” she said.
